COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ben Zenitsky, the communications specialist for the Columbus Metropolitan Library, said they’ve got the social distancing side of the pandemic down.

What You Need To Know

  • Columbus Metropolitan Library donated materials to REALM research project

  • The study is testing how long COVID-19 lasts on library materials

  • Research is being conducted by Columbus-based lab Battelle, Ohio College Library Center and Institute of Museum and Library Services

“We have suspended any and all in-building services, so now we are relying completely on curbside pick-up,” said Zenitsky.

Although customers and staff are safe from one another, the materials pose a threat.

“They actually have been busy testing the virus on those materials to gauge the virus’s longevity on those materials.”

Zenitsky is talking about the Ropening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM) research project being conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Ohio-based Battelle and the Ohio College Library Center.

“We provided them a few months ago at the beginning of this pandemic with a number of different library materials.”

The first wave of results from the three-part experiment reveals the virus lasts approximately three days on hardback, softback and plastic book coverings, the pages inside, and DVD cases. This is based on standard office temperatures and humidity conditions. The second wave of findings are also published.

“A new batch of results came out this week indicating that some specific library materials might require an extra day.”

This includes braille, glossy and magazine pages. But, to be safe, Zenitsky said all materials are treated the same.

“We are quaranting any and all library materials for a minimum of 96 hours.”

And while the group is busy making sure customers are safe from COVID-19, Whetstone Branch Manager Jennifer Hess said they’re also looking out for each other.

“We have protocols in place that keep our staff safe, we wear gloves, we always wear gloves, and we always social distance. We try to touch the materials as least as possible,” said Hess.

The group is still awaiting the final round of results but Zenitsky said they’re always adapting.

“Public libraries, we are a very unique industry in that customers are taking materials into their homes, family members are touching those materials, and then those materials are coming back to be used by other members of the community. And so, in the context of a global pandemic, we need to be extremely careful and extremely thoughtful at how we operate. So, we are looking at any guidelines coming out of the public health department and the Battelle study as well.”